Abstract

At high energies, in particle-capture processes between ions and atoms, classical kinematic requirements show that generally double-collision Thomas processes dominate. However, for certain mass-ratios these processes are kinematically forbidden. This paper explores the possibility of capture for such processes by triple or higher order collision processes.

Received 04 January 2011Accepted 16 May 2011Published online 20 June 2011

Article outline:I. INTRODUCTIONII. THOMAS DOUBLE-COLLISION KINEMATICSIII. CAPTURE PROCESSES WITH THREE OR MORE COLLISIONSA. PreliminariesB. Collisions of type (32)n1. Finding the scattering angles and ensuring that the time intervals are positive2. Finding the equations for the boundary curvesC. Collisions of type (2)(32)n1. Finding the scattering angles and ensuring that the time intervals are positive2. Finding the equations for the boundary curvesD. Collisions of type (21)n or (21)n(2)E. Collisions of type (31)nIV. CONCLUSIONS